Clark-Peterek Belize

Business & Marketing Workshop

Last week I assisted with a business and marketing workshop for vendors participating in the Cacao Festival, a celebration of Toledo chocolate held in late May.  Local artisans and merchants can set up tables and booths during the festival to sell their products and crafts.  Judy Bergsma of Maya Bags, led the workshop, while I helped with setting up, signing in participants, answering questions, and providing assistance.  The workshop focused on display, set up, and presentation.  It was a great opportunity for me to work in an area outside of education.  We had a good turnout, everyone seemed to enjoy themselves, and hopefully took away some useful tips and ideas.   

Back in Punta Gorda

Sawdust between the cobblestones is all that is left of the magnificent carpets, and the floats have been put away until next year.  After a long bus ride through Guatemala and a very bumpy and wet boat ride across the Gulf of Honduras, we arrived back in Punta Gorda on Monday evening.

Antigua truly is a beautiful and unique place.  We saw some amazing things and had a great time with my parents.  We are so glad that we were able to share such a wonderful experience with them.

Easter Sunday Procession

Easter Sunday was a beautiful day.  The sun was shining bright and the crowds were full of joy as we came upon the final procession of Semana Santa.  Music was playing loudly, and people were singing and dancing. The Easter Day Procession from Hospital San Pedro Church is one of the only processions in which carriers do not have to pay a fee to participate, and men and women walk together.  It was a upbeat end to a solemn week of holy remembrance.

La Merced Procession

Thousands flock to Antigua for the La Merced Procession on Good Friday, the largest and most solemn of the Lent and Holy Week processions.  All night residents, families, and friends prepare magnificent carpets throughout the procession route.  Early on Friday morning, we walked the carpets along the route, and later watched the procession. 

 

   

San Cristobal el Bajo

On Maundy Thursday, we also saw the procession with the sculptures of Jesus Nazareno del la Humildad, Virgen de Doldores, and the saints  from the church in San Cristobal el Bajo.

San Francisco Church & Procession

Iglesia de San Francisco is one of the many churches in Antigua.  The church was badly damaged and left in ruins after the earthquakes of 1773.  Reconstruction of the church was completed in 1970.  Today San Francisco Church houses the tomb of Santo Hermano Pedro de san Jose de Betancurt, a monk who founded a hospital for the poor, and Guatemala’s most venerated local Christian, who was made a saint by Pope John Paul II in 2002.

We visited San Francisco Church, the Museo del Hermano Pedro located inside the grounds, and the ruins of the adjoining monastery.  We witnessed the velacion, or holy vigil, and the making of a beautiful carpet the next day in preparation for the procession on Maundy Thursday.  The Christ figure, Jesus Nazareno del Perdon, was sculptured in 1630 and is carried on the shoulders of 60 cucuruchos, and 40 women carry the Virgen de Dolores figure.

 

Chichicastenango

Early Wednesday morning we took a shuttle to the town of Chichicastenango, about 2½ hours northwest of Antigua.  Known as Chichi, it is home to the largest indigenous market in Guatemala.  Villagers from the surrounding area come to Chichi to sell their wares and gather supplies. 

The market is usually held on Thursdays and Sundays, but due to Holy Week, it was held on Wednesday.  The change in days had no effect on the market.  It was incredible.  Vendors in stalls and along the sidewalk stretched for blocks, and they were all ready to make a deal.  The crowd was alive and the streets were packed.

Village Tour

On Tuesday, we loaded up and headed out to a few of the surrounding villages.  Our first stop was the village of San Juan del Obsipo where we toured the Archbishop’s Palace, a beautiful colonial style church and museum with a wonderful view of Antigua.  Next was the village of San Pedro Las Huertas. This village’s church is a beautiful combination of several architecture styles.  The town square was alive with activity, and women were busy doing laundry at the public clothes washing sinks called lavaderos.  Finally we arrived in San Antonio Aguas Caleintes, a village known for some of the finest authentic Maya textiles.  We learned about traditional Maya clothing, how it’s made, as well as its meaning, importance, cultural significance, and history.  We enjoyed some local coffee and shopping.  This was a great opportunity to get to know some of the surrounding areas of Antigua. 

Archbishop's Palace




San Pedro Las Huertas



San Antonio Aguas Caleintes

Touring Antigua

On Monday we had planned to attend Antigua Cooking School, but the class was canceled due to illness, so we toured around Antigua and did a little shopping. 

Our day included stops at various shops around town, as well as the Local Market and Artisans Market, where vendors sold everything from traditional Maya Masks, textiles, fruits, vegetables, jewelry, flowers, pots, and pans.  We also toured Casa del Tejido Antiguo, a museum, market, and workshop all rolled into one.   

We had a nice day touring around Antigua and learning more about this unique town.

The Arch

At the Market

Casa del Tejido Antiguo

Palm Sunday

Palm Sunday marks the beginning of Holy Week, and it is the day of the Iglesia de La Merced Procession.  The procession represents the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem, and it includes sculptures of Jesus Nazareno, Virgen de Dolores, and the Saints from La Merced Church.  This procession travels around the main streets of Antigua.

The sculptures are mounted on ornate hand carved platforms or floats.  Thousands of processional carriers, or cucuruchos, participate in this religious tradition.  They pay a small fee and sign up weeks in advance.  The male cucuruchos wear purple robes and white headscarves, while a select few leading the procession where white robes, and the women wear black and white until Good Friday.

 We caught up with the procession just around dusk.  The float carrying Jesus weighs more than 7,000 lbs, and it was carried by 80+ cucuruchos.  Incense filled the air while men dressed as Roman Soldiers walked along the packed processional route.  The cucuruchos usually carry the float about a block, and then a new group takes their turn.  Many cucuruchos rotate in several times during the procession.  About a block behind the men, women carried the smaller float, weighing around 3,000 lbs, with Virgen de Dolores, representing the Virgin Mary grieving over Jesus’ crucifixion.  Two smaller floats carried by four men followed behind the women.  Musicians followed behind each float playing the funeral march.   

The Iglesia La Merced Procession was a cultural touchstone to the significance of the celebration of Santa Semana here in Antigua.  We were truly moved to be a part of this centuries old tradition.